Select Board signs Town Meeting warrant

WESTFORD — The Select Board has signed the Annual Town Meeting warrant, scheduled to be presented to voters this March.

The Select Board signed the warrant during a Feb. 27 meeting.

This year’s warrant consists of 22 articles, including a Proposition 2 1/2 override, a zoning bylaw that could allow for additional multi-family housing and whether the town will recognize both Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day.

Article 1 would have voters decide whether to approve the FY25 budget with a Proposition 2 1/2 override.

• The Select Board voted unanimously to recommend this article.
• The Finance Committee voted 6-2 to recommend this article. Member Shinji Yue was not present for this vote. Members Dennis Galvin and Heather Fitzpatrick cast the dissenting votes.

Article 2 would establish an override stabilization fund.

• The Select Board voted unanimously to recommend this article.
• The Finance Committee voted 6-2 to recommend this article. Members Dennis Galvin and Heather Fitzpatrick cast the dissenting votes.

Article 3 would fund the override stabilization fund.

• The Select Board voted unanimously to recommend this article.
• The Finance Committee voted 6-2 to recommend this article. Members Dennis Galvin and Heather Fitzpatrick cast the dissenting votes.

Article 4 would have voters decide whether to approve an FY25 budget without a Proposition 2 1/2 override.

• The Select Board did not take action on this article.
• The Finance Committee did not take action on this article.

Article 5 would accept town reports.

• The Select Board voted unanimously to recommend this article.
• The Finance Committee voted unanimously to recommend this article.

Article 6 would approve FY24 budget supplemental appropriations.

• The Select Board voted unanimously to recommend this article.
• The Finance Committee voted unanimously to recommend this article.

Article 7 would appropriate for perchlorate expenses.

• The Select Board voted unanimously to recommend this article.
• The Finance Committee voted unanimously to recommend this article.

Article 8 would approve capital expenses, found on the warrant below:

• The Select Board voted unanimously to recommend this article.
• The Finance Committee voted unanimously to recommend most appropriations. Members Shinji Yue and Beth Morrison were not present for all votes on this article. Several appropriation recommendations were held and later voted on, including:
  • The board unanimously recommended $125,000 for a special education electric vehicle van for Westford Public Schools, $25,000 for Groton Road pedestrian safety improvements and $600,000 for Plain Road pedestrian safety improvements.
  • The board voted 6-1 to $15,000 for Hartford Road traffic calming measures and $30,000 for West Street and N. Main Street pedestrian safety improvements. Member Dennis Galvin dissented on both votes.
  • The board voted 5-2 to recommend $67,500 for the Jack Walsh tennis and basketball court improvement project. Members Dennis Galvin and Heather Fitzpatrick cast the dissenting votes.
  • The board voted 5-2 to not recommend $80,000 to replace a dump truck and plow for the Department of Public Works. Vice Chair Tom Laflamme and member Hari Vetsa cast the dissenting votes.
  • The board voted unanimously to not recommend $300,000 to replace Department of Public Works dump trucks.

Article 9 would approve the construction of PFAS treatment plants.

• The Select Board voted unanimously to recommend this article.
• The Finance Committee voted unanimously to recommend this article. Members Shinji Yue and Beth Morrison were not present for this vote.

Article 10 would approve Community Preservation Recommendations.

• The Select Board voted unanimously to recommend this article.
• The Finance Committee voted 8-1 to recommend this article. Vice Chair Tom Laflamme cast the dissenting vote.

These recommendations include:

• $30,000 for the Westford Museum handicapped accessibility plan.
• $190,000 for the Conservation Trust Fund.
• $4,208 for the June Kennedy oral histories digitization project.
• $60,000 for the supplemental funding for the O’Brien Farm footbridge.
• $163,000 for the restoration of the Parish Center of the Arts bell tower, bell cradle and window project.
• $2,220,000 for the Stony Brook Track rehabilitation project.
• $725,000 for the Nabnasset Playground Project. The town has already secured $100,000 in state funding for the project.
• $89,400 for a comprehensive condition assessment for the First Parish United Church.

Article 11 would authorize revolving funds.

• The Select Board voted unanimously to recommend this article.
• The Finance Committee voted unanimously to recommend this article.

Article 12 would appropriate Chapter 90 funds for roadway maintenance.

• The Select Board voted unanimously to recommend this article.
• The Finance Committee voted unanimously to recommend this article.

Article 13 would appropriate funds from the Water Enterprise Other Post Employment Benefits Stabilization Fund to the Water Enterprise budget, which would pay for the FY25 retiree benefits.

• The Select Board voted unanimously to recommend this article.
• The Finance Committee voted unanimously to recommend this article.

Article 14 would accept a local option to reduce the residency requirements for disabled veterans to receive a real property tax exemption. This residency requirement would be reduced from two years to one year.

• The Select Board voted unanimously to recommend this article.
• The Finance Committee voted unanimously to recommend this article.

Article 15 would authorize the Select Board to accept easements.

• The Select Board voted unanimously to recommend this article.

Article 16 would authorize the Select Board to accept easements for the Plain Road sidewalk project.

• The Select Board voted unanimously to recommend this article.

Article 17 would update the town’s floodplain zoning bylaw to bring it into compliance with Federal Emergency Management Agency standards.

• The Select Board did not take action on this article.

Article 18 would authorize the MBTA Communities multi-family housing overlay district zoning bylaw.

• The Select Board did not take action on this article.
• The Finance Committee did not take action on this article.

Article 19 would have the town adopt a solicitation and canvassing door-to-door bylaw.

• The Select Board voted unanimously to recommend this article.

Article 20 would allow the Police Department to conduct state and federal fingerprint background checks for certain licenses including: door-to-door solicitors, hackney drivers, ice cream truck vendors and owner or operator of public conveyance licenses.

• The Select Board voted unanimously to recommend this article.

Article 21 would authorize the Cemetery Commission and Select Board to adopt and amend policies and regulations.

• The Select Board voted unanimously to recommend this article.

Article 22 is a citizens petition and would declare that the second Monday in October as both Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day.

• The Select Board voted 3-2 to recommend this article.

Annual Town Meeting will be held on March 23 at 9 a.m. at Westford Academy. The League of Women Voters will host its warrant review on March 14 at 7 p.m.